Adjustable Padlock Cam Mechanism for Variable Cylinder Lengths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current padlocks with incorporated lock cylinders cannot be easily upgraded or changed by users, leading to fixed security levels and inconvenience when keys are lost or stolen, and existing changeable lock cylinders are not standard and do not accommodate different lengths.
Innovation Solution
A padlock design with an adaptable cam mechanism that allows any standard ⅞ inch cam lock cylinder to be used, featuring an adjustable cam that fits over a screw shaft, secured with setscrews or a roll pin, enabling easy change and accommodating varying lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a standard cam lock cylinder is used, then the lock can accommodate different manufacturers' standard sizes, but the varying lengths of cam lock cylinders create fitting problems
Solution Approach 1:
The padlock body incorporates an adjustable mechanism that allows the locking chamber depth to be modified. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the padlock to accommodate cam lock cylinders of varying lengths while maintaining proper engagement with the shackle, thus resolving the conflict between standardization and length variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the locking chamber depth to match different cylinder lengths. By providing an adjustable parameter (chamber depth) rather than a fixed dimension, the padlock can adapt to various standard cam lock cylinder lengths without requiring different padlock models.
2Device complexity
If the lock cylinder is incorporated into the padlock, then the structure is simple, but the security level cannot be changed or upgraded
Solution Approach 1:
The lock system is segmented into two independent parts: the padlock body (housing, shackle, adjustable mechanism) and the lock cylinder (separate interchangeable component). This segmentation allows the cylinder to be replaced independently to upgrade security while keeping the main body intact, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and security flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The padlock body is designed with universal compatibility to work with different types and security levels of standard cam lock cylinders. The adjustable mechanism provides a universal interface that can accommodate various cylinder specifications, enabling the same body to serve multiple security requirements through cylinder replacement.
3Ease of operation
If a custom changeable lock cylinder system is used, then cylinder replacement is possible, but the system does not accept standard cam lock cylinders from different manufacturers
Solution Approach 1:
The padlock body incorporates a universal adjustable mechanism designed to accept standard cam lock cylinders from different manufacturers. By making the cylinder changeable while maintaining compatibility with industry standards, the system achieves both ease of replacement and broad adaptability, eliminating the need for proprietary custom cylinders.
Data Source
AI summary
A padlock for adjusting to a length of a lock cylinder includes a padlock housing and a shackle having an unlocked position and a locked position within the padlock housing. A central bore is disposed in a bottom of the padlock housing having a depth longer than the length of the lock cylinder for accepting the lock cylinder within the padlock housing. An adaptable cam is adjustably joinable to a distal end of the lock cylinder for adjusting for a difference between the depth and the length, and for rotatable engagement of the shackle to enable the shackle to move between the locked position and the unlocked position. A lock cap is joinable to an open end of the central bore for retaining the adaptable cam and the lock cylinder within the central bore.